Game



May 30, 1939. J. I ZINNGRABE GAME Filed Deo. 4, 1937 2 Sheelts-Shleet 1 if -IIA 72a /6 ,Zzfgrabe gy:- @gf/M@ .May 30, 1939. J. ZINNGRABE 2,160,299

GAME

Filed Dec. 4, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 30, 1.93.9

UNITED STATES aimais@ 5 Claims.

This invention relates to games in general and particularly to a table game to be played by two or more persons constituting opposing sides.

An important object of the invention is to provide a new, fascinating and extremely interesting game of skill in which quickness of thought and muscle co-ordination are required to advance or retard an element from one end zone to another end Zone.

Another object is the provision of la new arrangement and assembly of parts constructed in a particular manner so as to form a neat and emcient apparatus whereby a playing element may be moved over a playing surface toward certain end Zones.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a game whereby a frame has a flexible, resilient, rubber or rubberlike material arranged over the frame to constitute the playing surface, there being operating members arranged beneath the playing surface to be operated or controlled by the ngers of the players whereby a playing element may be moved toward or away from certain end Zones according to the position of the element and the manner in which the players cause the eement to be moved.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the following specication.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the improved game;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View, the top cover or playing surface being removed;

Fig. 4 is an isometric View showing some of the operating mechanism in rest position;

Fig. 5 is a similar View showing some of the operating mechanism in advanced or operating position;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view showing certain elements representative of a goal, the parts being shown in normal or rest position;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but showing the parts in advanced or operating position; and

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the operating elements.

The particular game apparatus herein shown for the purpose of explaining the invention is intended to imitate closely'the association game of hockey, the game being played with a small ball or marble to imitate a puck. The game apparatus has a surface upon which the puck is (o1. 27a-fc5) moved and is provided with goals like a hockey field. The various phases of the hockey game are carried out by the manipulation of certain elements or men to advance the puck (ball or marble) toward an end zone or goal. The playing surface is marked with certain indicia or identiications which represent the playing position of the various players on the field. The eld itself constitutes a sheet of elastic or rubberlike material mounted on a base or frame. Underneath this playing surface or eld there is arranged a plurality of elements or men which are manually manipulated and indicate the hockey players and their position on the eld. The indicia indicating the men comprise colored spots or marks so that the position of the elements or men underneath the table may be readily determined. Therefore, when the puck arrives at a position or approximately at a position where a man is located, the man can be manually operated. 'Ihe players, therefore, know the position of the elements or men at all times. These men are arranged beneath the playing surface and are so controlled and constructed so as to cause the puck to be ldriven away from the opponents goal. The game is adapted to be played by two or more players constituting opposite sides, and the players manually operate the men from the respective ends of the game and aotuate the men so as to cause the p-uck to be moved toward the opponents goal. The opponent, however, also operates mechanism so as to operate the men to prevent the puck from entering the goal.

The game, therefore, is arranged to imitate a hockey game. However, other amusing games as well as imitation hockey may be played on the same apparatus.

The game apparatus comprises a casing or support I having a base or bottom board 2 upon which end members 3 and 4 and side members or rails 5 and 6 are suitably mounted. The end members 3 and 4 are spaced inwardly fromthe outer ends of the base 2 to provide hand supports or rests 'I and 8.

A frame 9 is arranged within the framework of the casing I and comprises side members I0 and II and end members I2 and I3. Theend members I2 and I3 of the frame 9 are spaced inwardly of the exterior casing end members 3 and d, respectively, to provide spaces to accommodate other mechanism which will later be described, Figs. 2 5. This frame 9 is fixed to the base 2 in any suitable manner such as by gluing or nailing and may include diagonal corner braces I4, Fig. 3, to strengthen the frame.

A plurality of elements I5, herein termed men,` are mounted on the upper surface of the base 2, Figs. 2-5, and each element or man I5, Fig. 8, comprises a base portion I6 which is adapted to be fastened to the base 2. Upstanding arms I1 are rigidly connected to the base portion I6 and revolubly support a semi-cylindrical member or rockerv I8 which is mounted for rotation or oscillation on a shaft or pin I9 which passes through the leg I1 and through the rocker operating member I8. A ball or other striking element 20 is connected to a rod or bar 2|, the bar having its other end iixed to the rocker element I8 as indicated at 22, Fig. 8. A string, cord, thread, wire, or like operating member 23 is fixed to the rocker element I8 as indicated at 24 and extends partly around the semi-circular rocker member I8, tting into a circumferential groove 25. A guide eye 26, Fig. 8, may be fastened to the base portion I6 of the member I5 so as to assure the string 23 being properly positioned with respect to the semi-annular groove 25 in the rocker element I3.

Four of the men I5 are fastened to the base at the positions indicated at A, B, C, and D, Figs. 1 and 3, and are connected by cords 23 to operating levers or plungers 21. For convenience, the operating levers 21 which control the men at the points designated A, B, C, and D will be numbered 21A, 21B, 21C, and 241D, respectively. These plungers are located at the left hand side of the board and are adapted to be operated by the iingers of the left hand.

Each operating lever or plunger may be of any construction and may have any type of a spring co-operating therewith to maintain it in a predetermined position. However, in the present embodiment it is shown as being relatively U-shaped, Figs. 4 and 5, one end being provided With an eye 28, Figs, 4 and 5, and its other end provided with a bent portion 29 which acts as a stop to limit the outward pull. A spring 3), Figs. 4 and 5, is arranged between the end member of the outer framework I and the end member of the inner frame 9, and is adapted to urge the member 21 inwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, there being a stop 3I fixed to the member 21 to limit the inward. movement of the operating lever or plunger 21. The spring 3B may have one of its ends fixed to the stop 3l if desired and its other end provided with a loop to permit free slidable movement of the leg of the operating member or lever 21 to which the spring is connected. Therefore, inward movement of the lever is restricted by the stop 3l, while outward movement is limited by the leg or extension 29.

Four other men I5 are fastened to the base 2 at the positions indicated at E, F, G, and H, and are connected by cords 23 to their respective operating levers or plungers 21E, 21F, 21G, and 21H. The operating levers or plungers 21E, 21F, 21G, and 21H are located on the same side as the plungers 21A, 21B, 21C, and 21D, and are adapted to be operated by the same player but with the lingers of the right hand. The positions A, B, C, and D are relatively close to the player who sits at the left, Fig. 1, while the positions E, F, G, and H are positioned toward the. opposite end near the opponents goal.

The other side of the apparatus also has plungers or operating levers 21K, 211.., 21M, and 21N which are operated by the fingers of the left hand of the opponent and control the men 1ocated at positions K, L, M, and N. The positions K, L, M, and N on the right hand side, Fig. l,

correspond identically with the positions A, B, C, and D on the left hand side of Fig. l. Also, the operating plungers or levers 210, Z'IP, 21'Q, and 21R which are operated by the fingers of the right hand of the opponent control the men located at positions O, P, Q, and R. The positions O, P, Q, and R on the right hand side of Fig. 1 correspond identically with the positions E, F, G, and H on the left hand side of Fig. 1.

The same fingers, therefore, of opponents operate the men. in the same positions but on opposite sides, so that when the little finger of the player onthe left hand side of Fig. 1 operates lever 21A, the little finger of the left hand of the opponent on the right hand side of Fig. 1 will operate 21K. Likewise, the other fingers of the hands operate similar men at the similar positions.

A iiexible sheet 32 of rubber or rubberlike material orV any other material that is yieldable to form the playing field is arranged over the men I5 and stretched taut but not tight over the top of the frame 9, being Vheld in position by side strips 33, Figs. l and 2, and end strips 34, Figs. 2, 4, and 5. These strips 33 and 34 are preferably removable, being held by screws, so that a new sheet or field may be quickly and easily attached. Also, end pieces 35 may be mounted on the upper surface of the frame I, being inclined at 36, so that the inclined edge 36 will be above the underbraces 34. The inclined edges 38 slope toward the center toward openings 31 at each end, which openings represent and constitute the goal through which a ball or marble 38, Figs. 4 and 5, constituting a puck, may fall during play. The player getting the puck into the opponents goal, that is, causing the marble 38 to fall through the opening 31 at the opponents end, scores a goal which constitutes a point, in the same way inwhich hockey is played.

The game apparatus further provides for a goalie, and this goalie is represented by the numeral 39, Figs. 6 and 7, and constitutes a at strip or plate 40 having openings 4I formed therein. The strip 40 bridges the opening 31 so as to restrict the puck from getting into the goal zone. However, if the puck enters the openings 4I, a goal will be scored.l The goalie is adapted to be operated by striking a plunger 42. The plunger 42 ispivotally connected at 43 to a strip 44 which may be integral with the plate 45, Fig. 5. An integral portion connects the portions 45 and 44 which are offset froml each other, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The member 39 is hingedly connected to a part of the frame 5 and is urged outwardly, as shown in Fig. 6, by means of a spring 45 arranged between the end members of the frame I and the head of the plunger 42.

The men I5 are positioned and arranged so that they will drive the puck away from the players. Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, the men I5 swing away from the players who control the levers and, therefore, when the levers are operated there is a drive toward the opponents goal. This can be readily seen by an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings whereby the men I5 located at the positions A to H, inclusive, and controlled by their respective operating levers 21 will operate from a position toward the player at the left, Fig. I, and swing upwardly and toward the opponent. Likewise, the men I5 which are operated by the opponent to the right will cause the driving force to be exerted toward the opponent. The men I5 located at the positions K to R, inclusive, therefore, and controlled by their re'- spective operating levers 21 will operate froma position toward the player at the right, Fig. 1,

and swing upwardly and toward the opponent.

The rubber top 32 has the positions of the men I5 indicated by spots, and the spots for opposing sides may be different colors. The spots locating the position of the players A to- H, inclusive, may be red, while the spots indicating the position of the players K to R, respectively, may be blue. Therefore, each player knows the position of his men and when the puck gets near the position of the men each player knows which one of the members 21 to operate so as to not only prevent the opponent from forcing the puck toward his goal zone, but to also permit the player to force the puck away from his own zone toward the opponents goal.

The playing surface 32 has a starting point indicated by the letter X, Fig. l, and this starting point is located in the center of the playing field.

The puck is therefore placed at the point X when the game is rst started.

In playing the game the puck is located at the position X, Fig. l, and is rst operated by the player whose turn it is to play first. If, however, the player on the left starts play, he would probably operate the member 21F which, while not tending to move the puck toward the opponents goal, would cause the puck to roll to the left into a position whereby it could be driven to the right toward the opponents goal by the manipulation of the men indicated at the positions B, C, or D. The opponent, however, would naturally operate the man indicated at the position P and subsequently operate the members R, O, or Q so as to tend to force the puck into the opening 31. Should the opponent on the right, however, succeed in moving the puck near the goal 39, the player to the left, Fig. 1, would press the plunger 42, probably rapidly, with the hope that the part surrounding the openings 4l of the plate lill would engage the puck and forcedly drive it to the opponents goal, it being the object, of course, to manipulate the levers 21 so as to cause the ball or puck to roll or be driven always toward the opponents goal. In such cases where the puck is not immediately over a man l5, the operation of a man I5 by the member 21 will cause the ball 2li of the man l5 to raise the playing surface, as shown in Fig. 5, and provide an inclination causing the ball to roll.

In referring to Fig. 4, the puck 33 is shown moving toward the right near the position of a man l5. The opponent, desiring to have the puck move the other way, will then operate a lever 2 to operate a man l5 so as to either strike the puck 38 or raise the surface, as shown in Fig. 5, to reverse the position of the puck toward the opponents goal.

The game is exceedingly fast and interesting and creates considerable enthusiasm. If the rule of the game restricts the player from operating more than one man at a time, the game will harmonize more closely to hockey and makes the game still more interesting as the player must know which finger to operate when the puck arrives at a certain position so that the man in that particular position can be operated either to retard the c-ppcnents advance or advance the puck toward the opponents goal.

The sloping, inclined edges 36 tend to direct the puck toward the goal, while the side edge members 33 prevent the puck from becoming lodged along the edge, the strips 33 tending to lill in the corners between the top playing eld and the side edges.

The game has been described in connection with the association game of hockey but other games may be also played. The invention provides a fascinating, interesting game for use at home or other places, is rigid in construction, and can be economically manufactured. Certain of the parts are removable, such as the strips 33 and 3d, so as to permit quick and easy removal or replacement of the playing surface 32. The end pieces 35 may also be removable so that easy access may be had to the levers, the goalie, and the spring connections.

The outward movement of the members 21 is limited by the leg 29, While the inward movement is limited by the members 3l. These limits tend also to limit the movement of the striking element 2). However, to overcome any momentum and positively limit the upward movement of the striking element 2S a stop 41, Fig. 8, may be provided. This stop l1 is in the form of a cross bar connecting the legs l1.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit o-f the invention or sacrirising any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l.. A game board comprising an open top frame, a sheet of elastic material extending over the top of the frame to form a playing surface adapted to support a freely movable element thereon, a plurality ofver'tically shiftable, longitudinally and laterally spaced balls within the frame forming men arranged in teams beneath, and spaced from, the playing surface, means at one end of the board for individually and selectively shifting the balls forming men of one team to cause said balls to strike the playing surface in a direction to impel said movable element across said surface generally in a direction toward the other end of the board and means at the other end of the board for individually and selectively shifting the balls forming men of another team to cause said balls to strike and distort the playing surface and impel said movable element across said surface toward said rst end of the board, said balls being operatively connected to said shifting means for actuation thereby.

2. A game board comprising an open top frame, a sheet of elastic material over the top of the frame, and forming a playing surface adapted to support a freely rolling ball thereon, a plurality of vertically shiftable, longitudinally and laterally spaced striker balls within said frame forming men arranged in teams beneath, and spaced from, the playing surface, the men of one team being interspersed with the men of the other team, means forming goals at opposite ends of said surface, means adapted to be operated by one player for individually and selectively shifting the striker balls of one team to cause said striker balls to strike the playing surface in a direction to impel said freely rolling ball across said surface toward the goal of the opposing player, means adapted to be operated by said opposing player for individually and selectively shifting those striker balls forming men of the other team to cause said striker balls to strike and distort the playing surface and impel said freely rolling y actuation thereby, and shiftable protective means associated with each goal, said protective means comprising a plate movably mounted on the playing surface and having an opening therein sufcient to permit the freely rolling ball on the playing surface to pass therethrough and into the goal, and means for shifting said plate su'iciently to prevent passage of the freely rolling ball through said opening.

3. A game board comprising anopen top frame, a sheet of elastic material extending over the top of said frame to form a playing surface adapted to support a freely rolling ball, a plurality of angularly shiftable, longitudinally and laterally spaced balls forming striker elements arranged as men of opposing teams beneath, and spaced from, the playing surface, said game board having spaced openings forming goals at opposite ends of said playingY surface, and means for individually and selectively operating said striker elements, said means comprising a plurality of individual flexible leads extending from the striker elements to the ends of the frame, a plurality of finger operated members at the ends of said frame and each being connected to one of said flexible leads, and means for normally urging said flexible leads in a direction to maintain each of said striker elements in an inoperative position, the finger operated members for the striking elements forming men of one team being disposed at one end of the board and the finger operated members for the striker elements forming men of the opposing team being disposed at the opposite end of the board, and means for mounting the balls so that the striker elements forming men of one team and the striker elements forming men of the opposing team strike the playing surface at oppositely directed angles whereby the lmen of one team impel the freely rolling ball generally toward one goal and the men of the other team impel said freely rolling ball generally toward the other goal.

4. A game comprising an open top frame, a sheet of elastic material extending over and closing the top of said frame to form a playing surface, a freely rolling ball on said surface, a plurality of longitudinally and laterally spaced striker elements Within said frame and beneath the playing surface, indications on the playing surface of the positions of said men beneath the surface, pivotal supporting means for each of said striker elements, means for individually and selectively pivoting each of said striker elements on its pivotal supporting means, said means comprising a plurality of individually operating members extending from the striker elements to the ends of the frame, a plurality of finger operated members at the ends of said frame, each being connected to one of said operating members, the finger operated members for certain of said striker elements being disposed at one end of the frame and the nger operated members for the remaining striking elements being disposed at the opposite end of the frame, means forming goals at opposite ends of the playing surface, shiftable goalprotective means associated with each goal, said protective means comprising a plate having an opening therein of sufficient size to permit the freely rolling ball to pass therethrough and into the goal, and means for shifting said plate sufficiently to prevent the passage of the ball through said opening, the axis about which certain of said striker elements pivot being spaced from said elements toward Vthe opposing goal and the axis about which the remaining striker elements pivot being displaced from said remaining striker elements toward the opposite goad whereby said striker elements impel the ball toward an opponents goal.

5. A game comprising an open top frame, a sheet of elastic material extending over and closing the top of said frame to form a playing surface, a freely rolling ball on said surface, a plurality of longitudinally and laterally spaced striker elements Within said frame and forming men arranged in teams beneath the playing surface, indications onv the playing surface of the positions of said men beneath the surface, means for pivotally supporting each of said striker elements, means for individually and selectively operating each of said striker elements about its pivotal support, said means comprising a plurality of individual, flexible leads extending from the striker elements to the ends of the frame, a plurality of finger operated members at the ends of said frame and each being connected to one of said exible leads, and spring means for normally urging said iiexible leads in a direction to maintain each of said striker .elements in an inoperative position, the finger operated members for those striker elements forming men of one team being disposed' at one end of the frame and the nger operated members for those striker elements forming men of the opposing team being disposed at the opposite end of the frame, means forming goals at opposite ends of the playing surface, shiftable goal protective means associated with each goal, said protective means comprising a plate having a plurality of spaced openings therein each of sufficient size to permit the freely rolling ball to pass therethrough and into the goal, and means for shifting said plate suiciently to prevent passage of the ball through said openings, the pivot axes of the striker elements form.- ing men of one team being spaced from said elements toward the opposing goal, the pivot axes for the striker elements forming men of the opposing team being displaced from the striker elements toward the opposite goal and each of said striker elements having a convex upper surface portion whereby said striker elements when operated form convex projections in the playing surface to impel said ball laterally and longitudinally of the playing surface and generally toward an opponents goal.

JOHN L. ZINNGRABE. 

